Project Benefits

Will serve rapidly-developing North Shore, including new Del Monte and Equitable Resources headquarters, PNC Park, Heinz Field, Marriott Springhill Suites, Carnegie Science Center, Community College of Allegheny County and other cultural, business and residential destinations

Enables future expansion of the T to Pittsburgh International Airport, the Parkway West/Airport Corridor, the North Hills, the Strip District, and other areas within Allegheny County

Will support approximately $377 million in new economic development and $750 million in existing development as well support thousands of direct and secondary jobs through engineering, design, project management, construction and operation. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that every dollar invested in public transportation returns up to $6 in economic and other public benefits, and that every $10 million in capital investment sparks up to $30 million in business sales

Positions Port Authority to accommodate thousands of people who will live, work, shop and spend leisure time on the North Shore in coming years while providing a new option for thousands of others who already travel there – all without adding traffic congestion.

Directly links the North Shore, Downtown, Station Square and South Hills employment, business, residential, entertainment and retail centers

Improves access to the T for North Side residents as well as enhancing pedestrian underpasses between the North Shore and North Side communities

Reduces traffic in the Golden Triangle by making locating the North Side Station under the planned SEA parking garage, making it possible for those destined for Downtown Pittsburgh to use fringe parking on the North Shore and then light rail service to easily circulate to their destination

Enjoys the support of FTA, PENNDOT, Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh and stakeholders on the North Side, including the Northside Leadership Conference, as well as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Manchester Citizens Corporation, among others

The North Shore Connector will efficiently link North Shore attractions and destinations to those in Downtown Pittsburgh and Station Square.

The North Shore Connector will serve and enhance the approximately $1 billion of new development that has been completed or is planned for the North Shore, including Del Monte and Equitable Resources headquarters, PNC Park, Heinz Field and Marriott Springhill Suites, while also serving current destinations such as the Carnegie Science Center, Community College of Allegheny County and other cultural, business and residential destinations.

Residents and visitors will have a fast and efficient way to access the many restaurants, hotels, entertainment complexes, cultural attractions, employment centers and residential developments in Downtown Pittsburgh, Station Square and North Shore.

North Hills commuters can park-and-ride from the 924-space North Shore garage at parking rates lower than those in the Golden Triangle and travel Downtown on the T by accessing the North Side Station underneath the garage.

South Hills residents can park at any park and ride lot along the T for a traffic-free ride to the many attractions and destinations in Pittsburgh’s North Shore and North Side communities.

The ability to store light rail vehicles (LRVs) on the tail track, located just west of Allegheny Station, will enable Port Authority to quickly and efficiently serve high volumes of passengers following the conclusion of events taking place on the North Shore.

With the 1.2-mile extension of the T to the North Shore, Port Authority will improve the efficiency of bus service through techniques such as trunk and feeder system for North Hills bus routes. Buses traveling from the North Hills could terminate at Allegheny Station and transfer riders onto the T to continue their trip into Downtown Pittsburgh.

This trunk and feeder service design would not only reduce bus congestion in Downtown Pittsburgh and provide a traffic-free ride into the CBD, but also enable Port Authority to increase average bus operating speed, allowing for more trips on a route, without increasing service hours and cost.

Supports hundreds of local jobs and provides millions of dollars in revenues to local businesses.